QUEUING in the forecourt shop while deciding not to buy a Dunkin Donut, flapjack, gallon of cola, barbecue lighters or a limp loaf of bread may soon be a joy of the past.

Forecourt visitors will soon be able to miss out the shop altogether thanks to an electronic tag which you will wave at the petrol pump.

A clever box on the pump - using radio frequency identification technology - will flash the transaction details to your credit card account. And off you go, minus donut.

The tag was being demonstrated this week at the Fleet Motor Show at Donington Park, near Derby, by Wayne Dresser - not a country singer but a US company.

It makes petrol pumps for the world, is the UK market leader, and employs 200 people at

Bonnyrigg in Midlothian.

A year ago the Scottish plant scored a world first by breaking into the Japanese market. It also sells pumps to Oman.

''We have had an enormous response to the product,'' said marketing assistant Mat Lopez (also not a singer) from the show. ''There is no need for credit cards, no need for cash, and it is great for people like women drivers at night who don't want to walk over to a kiosk. Some motorists want to be off the forecourt really quickly.''

But with petrol margins under pressure from the supermarkets what about the oil companies' core business, the shops?

''This has been rolled out in the States and they have found people are making more journeys to the petrol station,'' says Lopez. ''It is a fast-lane service for commercial travellers, but for people who use the petrol station to buy a Mars Bar or do their top-up shopping, it means their forecourt experience is a bit more relaxed and

enjoyable.

''As far as the retailer is concerned it is a win-win situation for them and the customer.''

So it takes the donut. And so do you.

Index-linked

THE timing was unfortunate. Pensions group NPI has just launched the UK's first index of companies which are leaders in social and environmental policies.

The NPI Social Index only admits companies said to be ''at the forefront of corporate responsibility''.

It certainly might be expected to frown on companies which approve fat cat pay-offs for underperforming executives.

Days after the launch, NPI's annual report has revealed that former chief executive Kevin McBrien received a pay-off of #794,000 when he left last year, after a period in which NPI's investment funds noticeably underperformed.

Looking again at the criteria for the social index, I see they include ''the degree to which employees are included in profit sharing''.

Built from scratch

A GLASGOW law firm which started 10 years ago with two lawyers in a converted sandwich shop has just broken through the 100-employee mark.

Harper Macleod celebrated last week by receiving the Investors in People award from Scottish

Secretary Donald Dewar, making it the only commercial law practice in Scotland to achieve IIP status.

Better known for its senior partner Ross Harper, the firm was founded by Rod McKenzie and Lorne Crerar, who says: ''When we started there were some in the legal profession and institutions who were outspoken that it was laughable to try to build from scratch a quality, meaningful commercial law practice based in Glasgow and serving Scotland.''

Crerar is Scotland's only

Professor of Banking Law and has produced the authoritative text on the subject, and the firm has grabbed a lead position in social housing and in sport.

The sports law unit has been involved with most of the Premier League football clubs since 1993 and advises the Scottish Rugby Union on disciplinary matters, and it has created an innovative corporate structure for the Glasgow Hawks rugby club, now being copied elsewhere in Scotland and in Ireland.

Smokin' buns

LORD Weir's reputation as a survivor was enhanced further this week as he chaired his last annual meeting of Glasgow engineer Weir Group.

Proposing the vote of thanks to his lordship, old schoolchum Duncan MacLeod paid tribute to Lord Weir's determination to remain at the company's helm after the horrific car crash he was involved in three-and-a-half years ago.

Only one board meeting had had to be postponed.

MacLeod, who was at prep school with keen golfer Lord Weir in Perthshire before going to Eton with him, also recalled two earlier, much less serious accidents.

''The first occurred when you got in the way of an over-enthusiastic follow-through by a friend with a niblick in your room, which nearly struck out your eye,'' he recalled.

And the other? ''When an enraged fellow cadet on a field day in Windsor Park stuck his rifle, armed with a blank, into your rear end, pulled the trigger and blew your underpants up your backside with almost fatal results.''

Daze in Europa

ARE we looking forward to the euro? Members of the European Movement, the non-profit making body supported only by its missionary members, tried to find out last Saturday on Europe Day.

They set up stalls on the streets of our major cities, handed out balloons and leaflets, and asked passers-by if they were interested what will be our future currency.

Here are some of the responses from Edinburgh: ''I know all about this and it's about time you caught us up,'' said a Dutchman. ''I don't really want to know but they won't know anything else,'' said a mum pointing to tots in pushchair.

''I don't want to know about it,'' one youth described as ''bovine'' responded. ''Love the idea, hate the name,'' quipped the marketing type.

''Can I take another set, someone in the queue at the supermarket asked me for mine,'' said a woman (probably a stooge put up by European Movement to egg on passers-by).

''Thank goodness, I am a bank manager and I have been given hardly any information about the single currency,'' from the man who wishes to remain anonymous. ''I know all about it I'm from Norway,'' - know-all.

''Not today thank you,'' said the New Labour person.